In most modern retain stores, such as department stores, super markets, cut-rate drug stores and the like, a wide variety of different products are displayed frequently on a single level of large area and there is a very real need for highly visible display signs to enable the customer to visually ascertain the location of a particular product line. Of course, there is the fundamental necessity of providing for sufficient environmental lighting for effective display of the various products and for lighting the product location signs incidental to the display thereof. In recent years fluorescent lighting fixtures of various types have almost invariably been used in conjunction with suspended acoustic tile ceilings. Such fluorescent tubes are mounted in fixtures disposed above the plane of the suspended ceiling and at these locations the ceiling tiles are omitted. A translucent diffuser or lens is substituted for these tiles and is generally made flush with the ceiling. In must such stores there is usually no interrelationship between the environmental lighting fixtures and the display signs which designate the product locations. Invariably, these display signs are entirely separate and distinct from the store lighting and they are not generally illuminated. Usually they are mounted on the ceiling or the product display cases and sometimes are standing floor signs. Occasionally, individually illuminated display signs are used, but these are generally separate installations entirely independent of the regular store lighting and thus require separate wiring and additional light fixtures. This results in substantially increased electrical consumption.
The principal object of this invention is to provide low cost, convenient and easy-to-install environmental lighting and informational display fixtures wherein the same light source is utilized for both environmental lighting and for internal illumination of visual displays.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a combination light diffuser and illuminated visual display which is in the form of an integral translucent body.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an integral, hollow translucent body of the above type which is resiliently flexible and includes a severable annular rim portion for engagement with the ceiling support bars of a suspended ceiling.